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An alternative decentralized internet for sharing text and media: The Gemini Protocol (geminiprotocol.net)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/opensource@programming.dev
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See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_(protocol)

It is similar to the old gopher: text files, links, and images form a hypertext optimized for reading. Text is formatted like Markdown - but even simpler.

Clients display text, like an eBook, or images / media.

Servers can run on a PC or Raspberry Pi which needs half a Watt of power. No FAANG companies needed. No expert knowledge needed - not more difficult than running a file sharing client.

I think it is the right thing for defense of democracy and sharing your voice in the digital realm.

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[–] 12 points 8 months ago

Heyy just wanted to share this blog post, written by the developer of curl about their opinion on gemini, for anyone interested :D

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    [–] 11 points 8 months ago

    I personally prefer browsing the web with JavaScript disabled, and using search engines like Marginalia to find simple websites. I don't see a big difference in experience between browsing these websites in lynx or edbrowse, vs using Gemini.

    I get the appeal of having everyone on the network share the same culture and values, but I prefer to just find the people doing that in the wider network of the web.

    Still, I'm happy it exists and that people enjoy using it. To each their own!

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    [–] 7 points 8 months ago (4 children)

    Is there anything useful? Forums? Is there some search engine?

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    • [–] 6 points 8 months ago

    If you're looking for a Gemini browser, I can recommend Lagrange

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    [–] 1 point 8 months ago

    Meh. The problem isn't the protocol but how its used and what is pushed through it. If you wanted to, you could push ads through the protocol, along with any scripting language or binary blob supported by the application receiving it. If someone wrote a Gemini browser with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML support, you'd be right back at the same place we are now, just transferring all the stuff over Gemini.

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